Food Systems and Human Health
The food system, at its most basic level, describes a pathway in which food gets into your home and ontoyour
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Stress is a word that can conjure feelings of anxiety, depression, panic, an upset stomach and so much more. It’s affecting American’s lives in a multitude of different ways which is one of the reasons why we’re continuing to see such a strong focus on stress management, mental health and total well-being. Building our resilience and overall capacity for stress and our ability to rise to the challenges of life requires a multifaceted approach. One very important way we can do this is through nutrition.
If you’ve ever explored the web for foods to support better mental health and your ability to handle stress better, you’ll see all kinds of isolated foods and nutrients pop up. You’ll likely also see different supplements that claim many benefits – some may be truthful, but some may also be snake oil. Speaking from a generalized perspective, let me just state right here that there is no such thing as a single diet or supplement that will improve mental health on its own. What we do have are dietary patterns that include certain foods, exclude others and support nutritional balance as a whole.
These patterns include swapping out ultra-processed, high-sugar and chemically-ladened foods for minimally processed, nutrient-dense foods. I’m going to take it one step further by also mentioning that choosing foods that are as close to the ground they grew from (and walked on) offer robust benefits in the quality of nutrition they supply which can help you become the strongest version of yourself physically and emotionally. In fact, a recent study from Montgomery et al. (2022) assessed the nutrient density of regeneratively grown foods in comparison with conventionally grown foods. The results speak for themselves.
What’s interesting to note here was that the regenerative beef was tested against a regional grass fed/grass-finished brand, but wasn’t regeneratively produced. This is a great point to keep in mind when you’re out shopping, and you see all kinds of labels and eye-catching marketing out there. Grass-fed is a great start, but regenerative makes the difference.
Omega-3 deficiency is a real concern in this country. Our Standard American Diet (or SAD for short, not surprisingly) is lacking in many nutrients, like omega-3s, and ignites inflammation in the body which is at the root of many chronic illnesses. Poorly planned plant-based diets also increase the risk of nutritional deficiencies, especially with vitamin B12, and other vitamins and minerals that precipitate mental illness, fatigue, cognitive impairments and other health concerns. Keep in mind that omega-3s and B vitamins are just a few nutrients that we’re highlighting here, but there are many that work together in unison to support healthy minds and bodies.
Another interesting perspective is looking at the health and well-being of the animal consumed prior to slaughter. When you support farms that take pride in prioritizing animal welfare through humane practices, the resulting meats produced are lower in the stress hormone, cortisol. This contributes to higher quality in terms of taste, texture and color. Unfortunately, animals that are subject to industrialized farming have higher amounts of stress hormones and inflammatory chemicals in their system. You’ll notice this when you consume meat that tastes subpar. When food is given the opportunity to thrive with their natural diet in an environment that supports not only their well-being, but the environment’s well-being too, you have food that grows into nutritional powerhouses. Choosing happy and healthy animals to feed yourself is in alignment with creating a happier, healthier you.
In closing, let’s stop focusing on individual nutrients or supplements for our first attempt to make a difference in how we feel and adopt a broader understanding of the power of complete nutrition from farm to table. You’ll be able to provide for yourself and your family with an overall dietary pattern that supports all of your physical and mental health. Do yourself and your future health a favor and go stock up on some delicious and abundantly nutritious grass-fed beef and Berkshire pork from us. You’ll be one meal closer to the strong and resilient version of yourself you always envisioned.
If you’re local, stop by our community markets to say hello and shake the hand that feeds you.
References
Adan, R.A.H., van der Beek, E.M., Buitelaar, J.K., Cryan, J.F., Hebebrand, C.J., Higgs, S., Schellekens, H., Dickson, S.L. (2019). Nutritional psychiatry: Towards improving mental health by what you eat. European Neuropsychopharmacology, Volume 29 (12). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2019.10.011
American Psychological Association. Stress in America Survey 2024: A nation in political turmoil. (2024, October). https://www.apa.org/pubs/reports/stress-in-america/2024/2024-stress-in-america-full-report.pdf Chen, X., Wang, S., Mao, X., Xiang, X., Ye, S., Chen, J., Zhu, A., Meng, Y., Yang, X., Peng, S., Deng, M., & Wang, X. (2023). Adverse health effects of emerging contaminants on inflammatory bowel disease.
Frontiers in public health, 11, 1140786. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1140786 Kumar, P., Ahmed, M.A., Abubakar, A.A., Hayat, M.N., Kaka, U., Ajat, M., Goh, Y.M., Qurni Sazili, A. (2023). Improving animal welfare status and meat quality through assessment of stress biomarkers: A critical review. Meat Science, volume 197, 109048, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2022.109048
Montgomery, D.R., Bickle, A., Archuleta, R., Brown, P., Jordan, J. (2022, January 27). Soil health and nutrient density: preliminary comparison of regenerative and conventional farming. PeerJ. 10:e12848 DOI 10.7717/peerj.12848
Murphy R.A., Devarshi P.P., Ekimura S., Marshall, K., Mitmesser, S.H., (2021). Long-chain omega-3 fatty acid serum concentrations across life stages in the USA: an analysis of NHANES 2011–2012. BMJ Open, 11:e043301. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-043301
Robert, M. Shankland, R., Bellicha, A., Keese-Guyot, E., Deschasaux-Tanguy, M., Andreeva, VA., Bernard Srour, M., Hercberg, S., Touvier, M., Leys, C., Péneau, S. (2022). Associations between Resilience and Food Intake Are Mediated by Emotional Eating in the NutriNet-Santé Study. The Journal of Nutrition, Volume 152(8), p 1907-1915. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/nxac124
Suárez-López, L. M., Bru-Luna, L. M., & Martí-Vilar, M. (2023). Influence of Nutrition on Mental Health: Scoping Review. Healthcare, 11(15), 2183. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11152183
US Department of Agriculture | Agricultural Research Service. Health-promoting compounds are higher in grass-fed meat and milk. (2025, March 12). https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publication/?seqNo115=377435
US Department of Veteran Affairs | VA News. Anti-inflammatory diet: Calming the fire. (2025, March 11). https://news.va.gov/138639/anti-inflammatory-diet-calming-the-fire/
Chen, X., Wang, S., Mao, X., Xiang, X., Ye, S., Chen, J., Zhu, A., Meng, Y., Yang, X., Peng, S., Deng, M., & Wang, X. (2023). Adverse health effects of emerging contaminants on inflammatory bowel disease. Frontiers in public health, 11, 1140786. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1140786
The food system, at its most basic level, describes a pathway in which food gets into your home and ontoyour